Phosphine-catalyzed [3+2]cycloaddition reactions of electron-deficient allenes and alkynes with a,b-unsaturated carbonyl compounds can give access to important highly functionalized cyclopentenes. The seminal example of such a transformation was first reported by Lu et al. in 1995, and its asymmetric version in 1997 by the group of Zhang. However, it took another ten years before the potential ...

The [4+2] cycloaddition of 3-alkoxyfurans with N-substituted maleimides provides the first general route for preparing endo-cantharimides. Unlike the corresponding reaction with 3H furans, the reaction can tolerate a broad range of 2-substitued furans including alkyl, aromatic, and heteroaromatic groups. The cycloaddition products were converted into a range of cantharimide products with promis...

A triple cascade was developed using a simple copper catalyst to trans-selectively access bicyclic isoxazolidines in a one-pot synthesis. This strategy features the in situ generation of nitrones and subsequent trapping by [3 + 2] cycloaddition. In this method, copper serves three catalytic functions: as a Lewis acid for the ene reaction, as an organometallic for aerobic oxidation, and as a Lew...

The synthesis and antibacterial activity of the title compounds having an isoxazolidine ring at the C-2 position are described. These derivatives were synthesized by the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrone with 2-vinyl carbapenems. This 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction proceeded regioselectively to give diastereomeric isomers of 2(-isoxazolidin-5-yl)carbapenems. It was ascertained t...

Diels-Alder cycloaddition between cyclopentadiene and p-benzoquinone has been studied in the confined space of a pure silica zeolite Beta and the impact on reaction rate due to the concentration effect within the pore and diffusion limitations are discussed. Introduction of Lewis or Brønsted acid sites on the walls of the zeolite strongly increases the reaction rate. However, contrary to what o...

A new simple and efficient method for the synthesis of 2-phenylnaphthalenes from electron-rich 1-styryl-2-methoxybenzenes has been described. The reaction proceeds via TFA catalyzed C-C bond cleavage followed by intermolecular [4+2]-Diels-Alder cycloaddition of an in situ formed styrenyl trifluoroacetate intermediate. The quantum chemical calculations identified the transition state for the cyc...

A new family of chiral ferrocenyl P,S-ligands has been developed and successfully applied in a highly endo-selective catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with various enones, including cyclic and acyclic α-enones. For cyclic α-enones, a [Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]ClO(4)/(R(c),S(Fc))-2f complex catalyzed the cycloaddition to give the sole endo-cycloadducts in perfect enantioselectivities...